ELECTRICITY SUPPLY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4888, 9 October 1925, Page 3

ELECTRICITY SUPPLY.

DECREASE IN VOLTAGE. A SERIOUS POSITION. ■ At Tuesday’s ■■ meeting of the Thames Valley Eletrcic Power. Board it was stated that .complaints had age the v oltage of the 11,000-volt age, the ovltage of the 11,000-volt lines in some cases being decreased to 10,600. This wap having a serious effect on the various industries, relying upon electric power. Decreased volt, age meant that the machines were driven at fewer revolutionis per minute, and on dairy farms this was having the effect of reducing the utility of the separator, much of the butter-fat going aw.ay with the skim milk. Some farmers had averred that they were losing up to £1 a day as a result. ' Correspondence on this matter was submitted to the meeting. The district electrical engineer wrote: “With reference to your note of the 23rd inst. regarding voltage at Waihou, there is some difficulty about raising voltage at Horahora at times, as the exciters are overloaded and /excitation voltage is already above : normal. The position will be relieved in about three months, because by that time we shall have additional at Waihou, and, also we .should have McLarens’ Falls power Available. We could improve mattter§ by raising the voltage 5 per cent, on the transformer taps at Waihou, but this might make it too high on light load. Also, the transformers there are already considerably overloaded, ; and increasing the voltage -would increase the overload. Would it rectify matters if Waitoa were asked to reduce its load during the hours affected for the next three months, approximately ?” In the reply the engineer (Mr N.

G. McLeod) stated : “I have to acknowledge your letter regarding voltage at Waihou substation at times of peak load. The same condition exists at Wajkino, the drop in pressure between light load and full load being about 6 per cent. I think the best method is to raise the taps at Waihou and get the Waitoa fa ctory.tb take their hwn load during the milking peak hours in order to help the Waihou transformers. The milking peak hours would be 6.30 to-8 a.in. and 4 to 6 p.m.- This arrangement will seriously inconvenience our consumers in the case of a BOiOOO-volt .breakdown, but it may be necessary that they take this chance until supply is available from Tauranga.” Mr Price said that in view l of the shortage of''power and of transformers, and that there might be a prolonged shortage owing to ,the strike, the farmers should be asked to decrease their loads at the peak hours by disconnecting their pumps till after the peak load. The Chairman: To ask their cooperation, and to economise in every respect. The engineer said that there was no shortage at Horahora, but the voltdid not suit the board. The Waihou station taps were so arranged that if there was a breakdown the Waihou area could get power direct fiom Horahora. The Waihou transformers were overloaded, but in another three months there would be further transformers. Mr Price’s suggestion to ask the farmers to co-operate was, ap a motion, seconded by Mr Thomas and carried.